2006 Betz Family Cabernet Sauvignon Père de Famille – Bottle Notes

by Tom Lee on March 31, 2014

The 2006 Betz Family Cabernet Sauvignon Père de Famille was the winning bottle in the March installment of Pick My Next Bottle. The wine was decanted for three hours.

Betz Family Winery was founded in 1997 by Bob & Cathy Betz. Critical acclaim from local and national wine publications has put Betz Family Winery at the forefront of Washington wines alongside Cayuse, Leonetti and Quilceda Creek. The winery was sold to Steve and Bridget Griessel (with Bob Betz remaining on as the winemaker), and I fully expect quality will remain high for years to come.

Opaque purple in color. 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec. 14.5% ABV. Exotic nose of black fruits, leather and pipe tobacco. A wine of power and structure. Black currants, cassis, menthol, graphite and cherries on the palate. Silky tannins and a long, rich finish. This wine will drink well for at least another 5-7 years.

My rating: 93 points.

I’ve followed Betz from the start and still have bottles dating back to the ’02 vintage. I am confident these wines will age as gracefully as the likes of Woodward Canyon and Quilceda Creek.

I understand the mailing list is full, although I suspect the wait isn’t too long. Fortunately, the wine is readily available all over Seattle almost year-round. The 2011 was just released and runs about $68.